It is with some sadness I share that I’ve left Humboldt.

After 43 years in the area, I moved to SoCal to serve as Grow Manager for Glass House Farms. I’ll be working on exciting collaborations in the area of genetics and am excited to farm at scale.

We are maintaining our home in Humboldt and will frequent the area when possible. Regrettably, I am putting The Cannabis Conversation on hold for now as I get adjusted to a new pace of life and get settled into my new role.

In this farewell piece, I will share my experiences in writing this column and farming cannabis in Humboldt. I will also offer a few predictions regarding the industry.

The exposure the Lost Coast Outpost gave me was amazing. While my intent was simply to share ideas and create dialogue and spirited debate, the column put me in touch with some really awesome people. Along the way, I was able to help multiple farms in the Emerald Triangle with pro-bono consulting and made some really meaningful industry connections as well.

While my voice is just one of many thousands emanating from the cannabis industry, it was a joy and a pleasure receiving feedback, commentary, DMs and LinkedIn connections resulting from my work.

While many of my beliefs are unpopular among cultivators, I simply reflect on what I am seeing, hearing and experiencing as a grower in the world’s most competitive cannabis market. And while larger operations are increasingly normal, it’s still staggering to see the efficiency and economies of scale now deployed within the space.

With extensive capital outlays, operations are able to tool up, automate and produce products at a fraction of the cost of less efficient operators. I’ve seen a boatload of growing and finished flower over the past weeks and the quality from these greenhouse operations is good – in many cases, far better than mountain-grown sun-scorched, bronzing and foxtailing deps.

In fact, I’ve seen many Instagram posts recently of open-air, Triangle-grown deps that were cooking and bronzing with sucked-up, scorched pistils. No bueno. Presumably, people post things they are proud of … surprises me every single time I see this, and reminds me of my frustration as a hill grower with limited environmental controls.

While my heart will always be with my brethren in Humboldt and the Triangle more broadly, not much will be left of the industry there soon. Farms are laying off employees, lowering wages, getting further behind on bills and cutting corners with cultivation practices to control costs. Unfortunately, growing can become a downward spiral. Without sufficient labor or high-end inputs, quality suffers, offer prices drop, sales stagnate and things spiral out of control – quickly.

I admire the love, dedication, commitment and sense of community espoused by the Humboldt cannabis community. It’s hard watching people struggle, and I pray the market opens up in time to allow for the preservation of our history and heritage. Ethical farmers are among the kindest, most generous folks I’ve met and my sincerest hope is for continued prosperity for all who play by the rules.

Unfortunately, larger interests are slowing down the push for national legalization. A recent publication noted that pharmaceutical companies, known for large political contributions, lose significant value with each legalization event. As consumers move from dangerous narcotics to cannabis consumption for medical relief, stock values weaken, as do drug sales. Big pharma largely opposes cannabis (until they buy their way into a national market) and that is one reason political will to open up cannabis markets has lagged. Other issues, such as re-election risk, social equity inclusion, misinterpreted social externalities and concerns around high THC products and youth consumption also hinder progress.

While there is some renewed chatter about interstate commerce after a recent application of the dormant commerce clause in relation to medicinal cannabis sales, it seems that a functional national market is still a way off. With more competition from other states, permitted farms are having a harder time diverting products to the illicit market, which has been the lifeblood of most “legal” farms for years.

While some farms plan to lay fallow next season, hoping things shake loose nationally, elevated property payments and the increasing cost of living won’t allow farms to be sidelined for long. Money simply goes away too quickly. While some will dig in and spend savings to fight it out, I fear an even more pronounced rush to the exits after this season, further depressing property values and complicating a successful transition plan for most family farms.

In hindsight, I suppose we should have known better, that California, a state known for an industrial ag complex would throw family farms under the bus. After an entirely disingenuous road show garnering NorCal votes for legalization – things changed, quickly! We asked to be treated like agriculture and to be taxed, and we got both.

As I look to the future I see sun-grown greenhouse flower dominating the smokeable flower market. The large multi-state operators are heavily reliant on indoor production and I see that becoming increasingly problematic, not only from a production cost standpoint but also from an environmental one in a federal context with potential EPA involvement.

The MSO strategy of operating in the limited license states or catching states as they transition from medical to rec may make sense in today’s market, with relatively elevated prices for indoor flower in some place, but I see their business models collapsing over time. High-quality sun-grown greenhouse flower produced for $100-$150 a pound will ultimately displace most indoor and bodes well for California cannabis operations with scale and efficiency.

My experience farming in Humboldt was a mixed bag. Being immersed in the natural beauty of our mountainous regions was a life-changing experience I’ll never forget. Precious encounters with wildlife, working through the radical weather swings throughout the growing season, pushing my body to the limit, and connecting with nature and the higher purpose of saving and improving lives was magical.

Witnessing firsthand the blatant hypocrisy and lawlessness of many licensed farms was troubling. Far from the upstanding storyline around environmental stewardship and ethical operation, I never once worked on a farm in Humboldt that played by the rules. Illegal surface water diversion, product diversion, tax evasion, environmental abuses and worker abuses continue to plague the industry and destroy its reputation. Why do you think so few people care that the industry is crumbling? Why do so many localities ban cannabis activity?

A fair number of citizens recognize this and will never support an industry with so many skeletons in the closet. It’s a shame, too. Some farms are ethical in business and care for the environment, for community and for making the world a better place. Unfortunately, they are often tarnished by money-hungry or cash-strapped operators who break the law, burn plastics, bury garbage onsite, mask diesel spills with excavation, pollute the night sky and drain the creeks, springs and rivers, while talking about loving Humboldt all the while. I’ve seen a lot of repulsive behavior among licensed cultivators and find it ironic that such “earth-loving” folks would argue against generator regulations, surface water restrictions, environmental compliance and regulatory oversight.

My sincerest hope is that the challenging market conditions will drive the bad actors out of Humboldt once and for all. I hope for a national marketplace soon so that kind, loving, conscious farmers can shine brightly and tell their stories to the world.

I hope that Humboldt, and the Emerald Triangle more broadly, can diversify their economies and survive what promises to be a very challenging near-term disruption. Property values are coming down, people are being laid off, and I fear economic desperation will further exacerbate violent crime in the region. I hope that families can remain in the area they call home and sincerely hope that cannabis farmers can find a lasting foothold in the business they love.

It is with sadness that I say farewell for now. My heart is with you always Humboldt, and I look forward to gracing your shores once again.

Love and prosperity,

Jesse

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The Pony Keg Mobile Bar was a 1970s horse trailer. At least until the day co-owners and operators, Kara Bennett and Hailee Nolte purchased it from a Craigslist seller in Sacramento.

Today, it is pink, repurposed and filled with a collection of decorative mementos that make it quintessential Humboldt.

“It’s cozy!” said Nolte of their bar on wheels — which is technically a “dry bar.”

That doesn’t mean that they only serve alcohol-free drinks. It means that they provide everything necessary except the alcohol. It’s an interesting way to circumvent the State of California’s alcohol laws (ABC Regulation # 23399.1). Since they are running a mobile bar, getting a liquor license can be overly bureaucratic.

They often partner with local businesses, or they book weddings, and other soirees. More importantly, they partner with local non-profits like Humboldt Made to uplift other local small businesses.

Depending on the logistics of an event, they calculate roughly how much alcohol they need and send the number to their client, who then acquires the necessary beverages, which Pony Keg serves at the event.

As local bartenders, Bennett and Nolte originally found each other as coworkers before finding themselves in the thick of the Humboldt Hustle.

A 40-year-old Eureka resident, Bennett moved to Humboldt in 2016 from the Bay Area. Trying to survive in the Bay Area as a dental assistant and then as a personal trainer, she realized that she did not want to do those things indefinitely.

“It made me miserable. Every day I’d tell people, ‘OK we’re ready for you,’ and their reaction was always, ‘Aw fuck’.” Bennett continued. “When you bartend you have all these people that are so excited to see you.”

Bennett began bartending on the side until she and her partner were getting priced out of their home. Often Bennet would visit Humboldt to go camping and on her very last camping trip she told her partner, “This is where I wanna live.” For the last seven years, bartending was the easy choice for her.

Nolte considers herself an overachiever. After earning her master’s degree in Environment and Community at Humboldt State University, she could not find work in her field because she was considered underqualified.

“While in school and after, I always had two to three jobs just to maintain a certain standard of lifestyle … which was paying rent and feeding myself.“ Nolte laughed, “I had two waitressing/bartending jobs and a gig in outdoor education.”

The day Nolte moved to Humboldt, she started class for her master’s degree and began her first shift bartending, all while her family helped move her and her partner’s belongings into their new apartment. With hardly any money to her name, she hardly has had time to have fun.

“I still haven’t gone to Richard’s Goat, and finally saw a movie at the Minor this year.” said Nolte.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, both Bennett and Nolte felt the pressure of loneliness and uncertainty. So they sought that out with each other and thought up the idea for the Pony Keg Mobile Bar.

Every Thanksgiving, Bennett would have a large get-together, but in 2020 her head count went from the usual 30 people down to three. That included her partner, herself and — recovering from food poisoning — Nolte.

Drinking into the night, they talked about how they missed bartending large events and reminiscence quickly turned into a conversation about building a concept for a bartending business.

“What do we want to do it in?” Nolte asked. ”So we found this pink fucking trailer on Craigslist and started saving money to start this business together.”

After they saw the trailer, they held meetings about their vision and committed themselves to it.

“We wanted two things out of our trailer,” Bennett continued. “We want it to go on the most rugged roads of Humboldt and not have to connect it to any power.”

The first nine months since purchasing the horse trailer were filled with marketing, building out the concept and dealing with getting their LLC license. Because their concept was so specific, the county was not sure how to handle their paperwork at first.

“We were working for ourselves for free,” said Nolte. “We had to be patient and resilient before we could even start.”

They wanted to emphasize that they could serve local beer on tap, and the easiest way to do that was to install taps for pony kegs in the trailer. With that, they designed the rest of the trailer with a local lens. Most of what you find in the trailer are repurposed materials or things made by other local makers.

There is a wall of stickers from local artists and businesses, a collection of cocktail recipe books that make up a tiny library, and most of their bottles used for mixes originally came from local distilleries. They have tables and chairs made out of old kegs. Nearly everything that comes with the trailer was either donated or repurposed and in some cases both.

Their concept was put to the test in April for a wedding event in Southern Oregon. In the pouring rain, the trailer was set up in the middle of a steep driveway. The ability to set up anywhere without power came in handy, but it was also a learning experience.

“We updated our contracts so that we can reserve the right to say no to certain things,” said Nolte. “If you want us somewhere we don’t approve of, we’ll leave. You can’t put us on a cliff or a 90-degree driveway.”

Both Bennett and Nolte continue to have day jobs four to five days a week especially as their season is coming to a close, with only one wedding left on the books. Next season, the Pony Keg Mobile Trailer already has 10 weddings booked. With their community and popularity growing, they’re looking toward the future with excitement.

“We’re building the second trailer,” said Nolte. “We purposefully didn’t book anything during the holiday season so we can take care of ourselves. But also if people call us for something last-minute, we’ll definitely consider it.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to call a special legislative session in December to push for a tax on oil industry profits, the latest escalation in a feud over soaring gasoline prices that Newsom calls greedy and manipulative.

Newsom said today that he would convene the special session on Dec. 5, the same day that a new class of lawmakers is sworn in. The work will take place on a separate track from the regular session to focus attention on what Newsom said has become one of the most urgent priorities for Californians: an “inexplicable” gap between gas prices in California and the national average that has grown to a record $2.50 a gallon.

“This is just rank price-gouging,” Newsom told reporters following a speech in Sacramento, adding, “There’s nothing to justify it. Nothing. Not one thing.”

Gas prices in California have soared in recent weeks to an average of $6.39 per gallon, as of Friday, according to AAA, near the highest they’ve ever been. That compares to a national average of $3.89 per gallon.

Analysts have blamed maintenance-related shutdowns at several refineries in California, constricting the supply of a special blend of gasoline mandated by the state to reduce pollution.

But Newsom said that the stoppages had knocked less than 6% of production offline, not nearly enough to justify the surge in costs at the pump. He said oil companies were clearly taking advantage of the situation to manipulate prices and pad their profits.

“This is one of the greatest fleecings for consumers in world history,” he said.

In a statement, a representative for the oil industry said the Legislature could better use its time reconsidering decades of energy policy that have driven up costs for Californians, rather than passing another tax that would only raise prices further.

“If this was anything other than a political stunt, the governor wouldn’t wait two months and would call the special session now, before the election,” said Kevin Slagle, a spokesperson for the Western States Petroleum Association. “This industry is ready right now to work on real solutions to energy costs and reliability if that is what the Governor is truly interested in.”

Newsom, who originally unveiled his plans for a so-called “windfall tax” on oil companies a week ago, had few additional details to share today. He said he had been studying examples from other countries, including Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, and exchanging ideas with legislative leaders over the past few days. The plan could take the form of an excise tax, he said, with revenue being returned to taxpayers as rebates.

Despite his urgency, he said convening the special session in two months would give his team time to “get our ducks in a row” — developing a strategy that can get through the Legislature, where a two-thirds vote by both houses is required for any tax measure, and stand up to expected legal challenges by the oil industry.

“It’s about doing it right, not fast,” he said. “We want to be deliberative.”

While Newsom’s proposal was cheered by environmental groups, it remains to be seen what level of enthusiasm there will be in the Legislature, where the governor twisted arms to pass a sweeping package of climate measures over the summer. (The oil industry has already filed a referendum to overturn one of those, a setback requirement around oil and gas wells.) Dozens of new lawmakers will be taking office in December and the first issue they will now be asked to consider is a tax.

“A solution that takes excessive profits out of the hands of oil corporations and puts money back into the hands of consumers deserves strong consideration by the Legislature,” Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, a San Diego Democrat, and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, a Lakewood Democrat, said in a joint statement. “We look forward to examining the Governor’s detailed proposal when we receive it.”

Republicans, who comprise a superminority of the Legislature, criticized the tax plan as insulting and said that it would drive up prices further because oil companies would pass on the cost.

“The only reason to call a special legislative session would be to suspend the gas tax, reduce the fees and regulations that make California gas so expensive, and allow permits to increase production to lower gas prices,” Assemblymember Vince Fong, a Bakersfield Republican who is vice chairperson of the Assembly budget committee, said in a statement.

Today, Newsom once again rejected calls to suspend the state’s 54-cent-per-gallon gas tax, because he said oil companies would simply pocket the savings. He said a windfall tax was the bold approach needed after years of “too timid” studies and investigations into excessive gas prices in California.

“That just offsets their greed and avarice,” he said of suspending the gas tax, “when in fact we should be going after that greed and addressing the anxiety of people at the same time.”

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CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

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Humboldt County Planning Commissioner Alan Bongio quietly stepped down from his position as chair sometime prior to Thursday’s meeting, handing the reins over to Noah Levy, who stepped up from his vice-chair position to lead the night’s proceedings. The resignation had been requested by the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, who unanimously censured Bongio at their September 20 meeting.

Late in yesterday’s meeting, the commission unanimously approved a letter of apology to local Wiyot-area tribes for Bongio’s “insensitive” and “racist” comments during an August 18 hearing — though not before quibbling over the draft language. The debate over how best to wordsmith the mea culpa included a warning from Bongio about the risks of being too “woke” or “politically correct.”

Levy misidentified as “Vice Chair.”

There was some confusion at the outset, with Levy identifying himself as “vice chair” before correcting himself after everyone had recited the Pledge of Allegiance. The chyron displayed on streaming video also identified Levy as vice chair, and when Bongio first appeared onscreen the chyron incorrectly listed him as “chair.” Both titles were later corrected mid-stream.

However, it’s not clear whether the informal changing of the guard, which occurred behind closed doors, was sufficient public process to make Levy the new chair on a full-time basis. Attempts to get an answer from county staff on Friday were unsuccessful.

During the meeting’s first public comment period, local anti-vaccine activist Donnie Creekmore defended Bongio, saying the longtime commissioner had “failed to show any semblance of racism.” He also accused local tribes of embracing “the woke-left ideology of weakness.”

Creekmore’s perspective was countered by a Trinidad resident who identified himself only as Andrew. He asked for Bongio to resign from the commission altogether over the recent revelation, published in the North Coast Journal, that Bongio personally performed concrete work on the property of local developer Travis Schneider and yet never publicly disclosed his labor. Schneider’s various permit violations on his “dream home” project, located on Walker Point Road near the Indianola cutoff, were the topic of the commission’s heated August 18 hearing.

“That’s a major breach of trust with the public,” Andrew said, regarding Bongio’s undeclared concrete work. “Whether or not he was paid, he still did work that was of value. That is a breach of trust … and it warrants his dismissal from the commission.”

The commission moved on to other business but returned to the matter of the apology letter about an hour later. 

Commissioner Peggy O’Neill, who represents the Fifth District, said she didn’t like the way the draft apology was written because it insinuated that “as a group that we did nothing and that we’re all responsible. I don’t feel responsible for someone else’s behavior,” she said.

O’Neill said she did speak up during the August 18 hearing, and she reiterated her objections to comments made that night, including Bongio’s repeated use of the term “the Indians” to refer to two or three different Wiyot-area tribes — the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria, the Blue Lake Rancheria and the Wiyot Tribe.

“It’s not just a word, but sometimes it’s how you use that word that makes it inappropriate … ,” she said. “I mean, even though they are Native American people, they are different and you can’t lump them together … . I think in that regard it was insensitive to use that word the way it was being used, because you have different histories, you have different languages, you have different experiences that have gone on and you need to be respectful of that.”

She added, “I went home that night very upset, feeling like I had gone back in time and wondering if if everyone really knows our local history.”

Bongio then spoke up, saying he was “not trying to make excuses for any of that meeting” but then adding that if the commission fails to “ask hard questions” and “delve into things” then it is “just as big of an injustice to the County of Humboldt.”

“And there’s some things that didn’t add up that night,” Bongio said. “I’m just saying that I think we run a real risk when we’re so worried about being politically correct or I don’t even know what the term [is] — woke enough. … I’m just saying, we need to have respect in the discourse and I will say it was not my best night. … I’m just trying to be honest here, but I think we go down a really slippery slope if we don’t be open to talk about the project and the whole thing, whatever it is … .”

After Bongio’s comments, Planning and Building Director John Ford asked the commission to take a break, saying, “I just sense that this could get very, very sensitive. … I don’t want to avoid the conversation, but I also am concerned about how this conversation can go.”

Levy said he was open to that suggestion but wanted to let Commissioner Melanie McAvour speak first. The commission never wound up taking the requested break.

McAvour also quibbled with some of the language in the draft apology letter, saying she was concerned about signing it when she had recused herself from the August 18 hearing, at which she participated only as the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria. 

“I agree with Commissioner O’Neill, that people should take responsibility for their own actions and words, and I don’t necessarily agree with a letter that is all-encompassing, especially if others feel uncomfortable with that,” McAvour said. 

She suggested that the letter could invite tribal representatives to a luncheon rather than a meeting to help repair the damaged relationship with the county, and she said that while Schneider should bear responsibility for knowing the terms of his coastal development permit, the county planning department also bears some responsibility for not catching his violations sooner.

“The monitoring was really, really poor, as it often is in environmental impact assessment generally, honestly. It’s the weak link,” McAvour said.

The commissioners debated other aspects of the apology’s wording, with some pushing for it to say the balance of the commission “did not do enough to address the problem” rather than “did nothing to address the problem in the moment.” That change was made.

Fourth District Commissioner Mike Newman sought to “take the temperature” of his colleagues by asking their thoughts on removing the words “racist” and “biased” while leaving in “insensitive.”

“I think ‘insensitive’ is enough, there, in my opinion,” he said.

O’Neill initially agreed, reiterating her discomfort at taking responsibility for actions that weren’t her own. “I think that that evening there was a few insensitive and biased and racist opinions, but they didn’t come from all of us,” she said.

Ford then spoke up for the draft language. “In all honesty,” he said, “part of a good apology is to completely own what happened and not try to understate it and make it seem like it wasn’t as bad as it really was. And this letter was written to forcefully state that what happened was inappropriate.”

“I do agree that I could have done more,” O’Neill said, “and I felt really bad, that I didn’t do more in the moment.” 

After some more discussion, Commissioner Thomas Mulder made the motion to approve the letter with the minor edits that had been made. Newman seconded the motion, and the roll call vote to approve was unanimous. Below is the text of the letter:

Dear Jason Ramos and Tribal Council:

The intent of this letter is to express our sincere apology to the Wiyot People. At the Planning Commission meeting of August 18, 2022, several comments were made that were inappropriate and traumatic. First, we as a body unequivocally recognize that these comments were insensitive, racist, inconsistent with the values of the County of Humboldt, biased and understandably may have shaken your faith in the impartiality of this Commission. We further recognize that the comments added to past injury and injustices resulting from governmental actions. We, as the Humboldt County Planning Commission concede we did not do enough to address the problem and therefore, are all responsible. We understand this has damaged the relationship between the Planning Commission and the Wiyot people and that cultivating a positive relationship with the Wiyot people will require time and commitment. 

We apologize for each of our roles in this event and ask your forgiveness. If you would be willing, we would like to schedule a luncheon outside the Board of Supervisors Chambers to hear from you, grow in our understanding and seek restoration. 

Should you decide to meet with us, we would welcome your input on additional steps the Commission could take that you feel would contribute to our individual and collective growth and facilitate a rebuild of our important relationship. 

Thank you for your consideration,

Sincerely,

Humboldt County Planning Commission

Alan Bongio, Noah Levy, Peggy O’Neill, Thomas Mulder , Brian Mitchell, Mike Newman, Melanie McAvour (recused from August 18 meeting)

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PREVIOUSLY:

• Heated Meeting Sparks Accusations of Dishonesty and Discrimination, Opening Rift Between Tribes and Humboldt County Planning Commission
• Despite Silence From Tribes, Mega-Home Builder Optimistic Ahead of Tonight’s Continued Planning Commission Hearing to Address Permit Violation Fallout
• After Rebukes and Apologies for Bongio’s ‘Disrespectful’ Comments, Planning Commission Defers Decision on Mega-Home Permits
• County Supes to Consider Censure of Planning Commission Chair Alan Bongio for Inappropriate Conduct
• Bohn Makes the Motion, Supes Unanimously Censure Bongio for Racist Remarks, Move to Remove Him as Chair of Planning Commission
• Bongio to Step Down as Chair; Planning Commission Set to Consider Apology for His ‘Insensitive, Racist’ Comments
• A Tour Through the Half-Built Dream Mansion of Travis Schneider, Who Remains Hopeful Amid Mounting Permit Problems

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NOTE: This post has been edited to reflect that Donnie Creekmore does not identify as a cannabis farmer.

Yurok Tribe press release: 

At 6 a.m. on Monday, October 10, the Northern California Condor Restoration Program (NCCRP) will attempt to release two more prey-go-neesh (California condors) into Yurok ancestral territory. The potential release can be viewed live on the Yurok condor cam, which can be found here. On Monday morning, Yurok Wildlife Department Director Tiana Williams-Claussen will be providing real-time commentary on the release via Facebook Live. The livestream can be viewed here.

“We are extremely excited to start releasing our second prey-go-neesh cohort,” said Yurok Wildlife Department Director Tiana Williams-Claussen. “The birds we released in the spring and summer are doing great. I would like to thank all of our project partners and supporters for their contributions to the Northern California condor recovery effort.” 

For the release, NCCRP biologists will employ a multistep procedure to keep the juvenile birds as calm as possible during the transition into the wild. First, the NCCRP team will wait for previously released prey-go-neesh to land within sight of the condor release and management facility. The free-flying birds signal to the captive condors that it is safe to exit the flight pen. Second, the NCCRP will open the door to a trap on the side of the flight pen. The gate will remain open until two birds enter the enclosure, which serves as a staging area. Once this occurs, the staging area door will be opened and the birds will have access to the outside world. Prior to the release, the birds must voluntarily enter and leave the staging area. The timing of the release is entirely contingent upon the birds’ movements. Additionally, young, captivity-raised prey-go-neesh are incredibly cautious. It might take multiple days for them to depart from the facility.

The two condors are part of a group of four. Over the next month, the NCCRP will release the remaining two prey-go-neesh. When the NCCRP releases the fourth member of the second cohort, there will eight free-flying condors in Yurok Country. The staggered release is one component of a comprehensive plan to ensure the success of the young birds. The newest condor cohort arrived in mid-August and has had ample time to acclimate to the local environmental conditions and become familiar with the NCCRP’s wild condors. The cohort is comprised of three males and one female. All of the birds were born between April and June of 2021. The Oregon Zoo’s Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation and the Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey each reared two of the prey-go-neesh. Releasing juvenile birds is a standard practice at all of the condor reintroduction sites in the US and Mexico. Decades of data show that young condors are more resilient and fare much better in the wild. The NCCRP, a partnership between the Yurok Tribe and Redwood National and State Parks, plans to reintroduce one cohort of prey-go-neesh every year for at least the next two decades. The tribe and park collaboratively manage the population.

In May, the NCCRP released the first of four condors to fly over Yurok skies in more than a century. The fourth bird was reintroduced to the wild in July. The birds include: Ney-gem’ ‘Ne-chween-kah (She carries our prayers, A0), Hlow Hoo-let (Finally, I/we fly A1), Nes-kwe-chokw’ (He returns/arrives, A2) and Poy’-we-son (The one who goes ahead, “leader” A3). The condors are thriving in the redwood region. 

The Yurok Tribe and Prey-go-neesh

The Yurok Tribe initiated the condor reintroduction project in 2008. The restoration of this sacred species is an important element of a far-sighted plan to bring balance back to the coastal rainforest ecosystem in Yurok ancestral territory on the far Northern California coast. In addition to the reintroduction of the critically endangered condor, the Tribe is currently restoring fish and wildlife habitat on a landscape scale in the Klamath River basin. The Tribe is also intimately involved in the pending removal of four Klamath River dams, which represents the largest river restoration project in US history. The removal of the dams will benefit a wide diversity of fish and wildlife species, including condors.

With funding support from the Yurok Tribe, Redwood National Park, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Administration for Native Americans, as well as Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Global Conservation Fund, the Redwood National Park Foundation, and many more corporate, agency and private supporters and citizens, the Yurok Wildlife Department completed a vast volume of work to prepare for the reintroduction of this imperiled species. Working in cooperation with the Ventana Wildlife Society, Redwood National Park, California State Parks, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company, as well as volunteers, the Tribe designed and built the NCCRP release and management facility. The flight pen includes a simulated, shock-wired power pole (to teach the birds to avoid this threat after release), two four-foot diameter pools and perches overlooking old-growth redwood forest. NCRRP staff monitor the birds from modified shipping containers which form a fire-resistant observation structure. The facility is also is designed to allow biologists and technicians to conduct regular health assessments and provide treatment if necessary.

PREVIOUS PREY-GO-NEESH: 

• BETTER KNOW A PREY-GO-NEESH: Up Close and Personal With Your New Condor Neighbors
• (WATCH) Here is the Moment Two Condors Took Flight Above Northern California For the First Time in Over a Hundred Years
• The First Two Condors to Fly Over Northern California in a Century Will Be Released Tuesday Morning and You Can Livestream It
• (AUDIO) The Yurok Tribe Will Reintroduce Four Young Condors Into Their Ancestral Skies This Spring

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A day before the California Public Utilities Commission was to vote on a rule that would have shrunken subsidies low-income residents use for phone and internet services, officials pulled the item from the commission’s agenda.

Under the proposed rule, low-income California households who qualify for federal help to pay for phone service and internet access would have lost some or all of their California LifeLine monthly discounts. The result: Instead of being able to stack three discounts, most California LifeLine users would have been limited to two, for a total of up to $39.25 in discounts a month.

The commission was scheduled to discuss and vote on the proposal at its meeting Thursday but officials removed it from the agenda without a written explanation. A commission spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.

The withdrawal comes after months of objections and mounting pressure from state legislators, LifeLine provider companies, and ordinary Californians who submitted 38 public comments to the commission.

The California LifeLine program provides discounts to low-income households for phone and internet services. It is similar to and sometimes is used with the federal Lifeline program.

In August, Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, a Buena Park Democrat, and eight other legislators sent a letter to the commission urging it to amend the proposal.

“This proposed decision would make critically needed broadband services for potentially millions of low-income Californians harder to afford at a time when they are struggling from the harmful impacts of the pandemic and record inflation,” Quirk-Silva wrote.

The bipartisan group of Assembly members also expressed concern in the letter about the commission’s analysis of its new rule, which claims that 6 gigabytes of wireless data is sufficient for low-income Californians.

By contrast, the average smartphone user in the United States used 11GB or more each month in 2020, according to Ericsson, a Swedish telecommunications company.

Costs of staying connected

Similarly more than 8,000 Californians signed an online petition urging the commission to allow residents to receive unlimited wireless connectivity with all three state and federal discounts.

Until March of this year, low-income families were able to leverage up to $75 a month in discounts from a combination of three subsidies. They could “stack” two federal subsidies and one California LifeLine subsidy to pay for phone and internet.

In May 2021, the federal government created the Emergency Broadband Benefit, a $50-per-month subsidy to support families struggling to stay connected in the pandemic. The government phased out the program late last year and replaced it with the Affordable Connectivity Plan, a slightly slimmer discount of $30 a month.

‘This proposed decision would make critically needed broadband services for … low-income Californians harder to afford at a time when they are struggling from the harmful impacts of the pandemic and record inflation.’
— Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, Democrat from Buena Park

At the same time, California’s LifeLine program provided a $16.23 per month discount for low-income households.

Currently consumers are able to apply the Affordable Connectivity discount and one LifeLine plan per household, either the state or the national LifeLine plan.

The proposed rule would have permanently cut the amount of California LifeLine subsidies to $9.25 for a family that also receives federal support, giving them a maximum of $39.25 a month.

But now with the plan withdrawn, the commission has a number of options moving forward, said supporters of the rule. It can make revisions to the proposal, propose a new one, or not vote on one at all.

Under current rules set by the commission, LifeLine plans have to offer unlimited voice and text as well as 6 gigabytes of data per month.

Is it a victory?

Ashley Salas, an attorney for the consumer advocacy group The Utility Reform Network, doesn’t know why the commission withdrew the decision.

“I wouldn’t put too much significance into it,” Salas said. “Right now, there aren’t any providers that are offering both (Affordable Connectivity Plan) and LifeLine service discounts in California. It doesn’t move anything right now.”

LifeLine providers, however, see the withdrawal as a step in the right direction toward expanding how low-income consumers can use their phone and internet discounts. Also the more generous and flexible subsidies would add to the companies’ bottom lines.

Rudy Reyes, Verizon’s west region vice president and general counsel, said the withdrawal was a “great victory” in the larger fight for improving service for California LifeLine consumers. Last year the telephone giant acquired Tracfone Wireless, a LifeLine provider.

Asm. Sharon Quirk-Silva has taken at least $6.7 million from the Party sector since she was elected to the legislature. That represents 51% of her total campaign contributions.

Reyes says it is a sign that the commission is listening to the needs of low-income consumers, but the commission still needs to make clear how providers can use the Affordable Connectivity Plan benefit and what that will mean for consumers.

“I cannot count how many times things wither on the vine at the commission,” he said. “Proceedings like this can go on for years with no resolution.”

The commission will next meet on October 20.

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CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

WHAT WOULD IT DO?

Prop. 27 would allow licensed tribes and gaming companies to offer mobile and online sports betting for adults 21 and older outside Native American tribal lands. Gaming companies — such as FanDuel and DraftKings — could only offer sports betting if they made a deal with a tribe.

The measure creates extremely high thresholds for gaming companies to do business in California, making it all but impossible for smaller gaming companies to compete.

The proposition creates a new division within the state’s Justice Department to regulate online sports wagering. That division could also decide whether to approve new forms of gambling, such as betting on awards shows and video games. It also gives the Justice Department additional powers to address illegal sports betting.

Tribes and gaming companies would pay fees and taxes to the state that could total several hundred million dollars a year, state analysts estimate. The actual amount is uncertain, in part because gaming operators are allowed to deduct certain expenses to reduce their tax bill.

After covering the state’s new regulatory costs, most of the money would be used to address homelessness and for gambling addiction programs, while 15% would go to Native American tribes that aren’t involved in sports betting.

WHY IS IT ON THE BALLOT?

Sports betting — other than on horse racing — isn’t legal in California currently.

The U.S. Supreme Court allowed states to legalize sports betting in 2018. Since then, 35 states plus D.C. have made the move. It’s proven to be big business: Americans bet more than $57 billion on sports betting in 2021. The explosion of sports betting has also concerned advocates, who say that gambling addiction will increase, and that research into the long-term effects of legalizing sports betting has fallen short.

California lawmakers tried to negotiate a deal on sports betting in 2020, but weren’t able to work one out in time to get a measure on the ballot. Then came a rush of groups trying to qualify their own sports betting initiatives for the 2022 election. Ultimately, two different measures made it onto the ballot. Prop. 27 would allow online sports betting across the state, while Prop. 26 would allow in-person sports betting only at tribal casinos and horse race tracks. If both pass, both could go into effect, but in all likelihood a court would decide.

ARGUMENTS FOR:

Supporters say Prop. 27 would create a permanent source of funding to reduce homelessness and will allow every tribe to benefit — including tribes that decide not to offer sports betting. It would protect against underage gambling with fines for violators and would prohibit betting on youth sporting events.

Supporters

• Yes on Prop. 27 committee
• FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM and four other gaming companies, which are funding the measure
• Three Native American tribes: Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Yokut Tribe, Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians, and Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians
• Mayors of Fresno, Sacramento, Oakland, and Long Beach
• Some homelessness advocates, including Bay Area Community Services and Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness
• Major League Baseball

ARGUMENTS AGAINST:

Opponents say that Prop. 27 would turn every cellphone and computer into a gambling device. They say it would escalate the risks of underage and problem gambling. They also say it would drive business away from tribal casinos and threaten tribal sovereignty because tribes would have to give up some of their rights in order to offer sports betting. And they argue that most of the money would go to companies in other states.

Opponents

• No on Prop. 27 committee
• 50 Native American tribes and tribal organizations
• California Democratic Party
• California Republican Party
• Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis
• California Teachers Association, Communication Workers of America, United Food and Commercial Workers, labor leader Dolores Huerta
• Homelessness and housing advocates, including Coalition on Homelessness San Francisco and California Coalition for Rural Housing